JPH0453456Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a spherical sliding type bush assembly, which has particularly good sealing properties for the sliding surface area.
This invention relates to a spherical sliding bushing assembly with excellent durability and manufacturability.

(Background Art) Conventionally, as a type of bush assembly that connects a pivot shaft and a cylindrical member constituting a vibration transmission system in a vibration-proof manner, a shaft and a cylindrical member constituting a vibration transmission system are interposed between the shaft and the cylindrical member. A so-called spherical sliding bushing assembly is known, which has a built-in spherical sliding mechanism that absorbs applied forces in a torsional direction around the bushing axis and forces in a twisting direction inclined with respect to the bushing axis. For pivot connections to the vehicle body or axle in suspension members such as various arms, rods, and links that make up automobile suspensions.
It is suitably used.

In general, such a spherical sliding bushing assembly includes (a) an inner cylindrical metal fitting having a spherical convex surface on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate portion in the axial direction, and (b) a predetermined portion on the outside of the inner cylindrical metal fitting. (c) a spherical concave surface that is in sliding contact with the spherical convex surface of the inner cylindrical fitting on the inner circumferential surface; (d) a cylindrical sliding member that is slidably fitted onto the spherical convex surface of the metal fitting and whose outer peripheral surface is fitted into the inner circumferential surface of the axially intermediate portion of the race metal fitting; (d) a shaft of the race metal fitting; (e) a pair of presser sleeves that are fitted into both end portions of the bushing to securely clamp the sliding member in the bush axis direction; The structure includes a cylindrical elastic member that is elastically held against the cylindrical member, and a pivot that is inserted into the center hole of the inner cylindrical metal fitting, and a pivot that is inserted directly into the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member or A cylindrical member that is fitted externally through the outer cylindrical metal fitting,
Vibration-proof connection is achieved in a relatively rotatable manner by sliding between the spherical convex surface of the inner cylinder fitting and the spherical concave surface of the sliding member and elastic deformation of the elastic member.

By the way, in the case of a spherical sliding type bushing assembly having such a structure, if foreign matter such as dust, water, etc. enters the sliding surface area, the spherical sliding performance, that is, the pivot and cylindrical Since the rotational performance between the parts and the parts will be impaired and the durability will be significantly impaired, it is necessary to prevent foreign matter from entering the sliding surface area.

For that purpose, for example, on the inner circumferential surface of the presser sleeve disposed on both axially outer sides of the sliding member,
A seal member having a radial protrusion continuous in the circumferential direction is fixed integrally by vulcanization adhesion, post-adhesion, etc., and the radial protrusion of the seal member is brought into contact with the inner cylindrical metal fitting. One possible solution is to force them to do so. That is, by doing this, the annular gap formed between the presser sleeve and the inner cylindrical metal fitting is closed, while suppressing the increase in the number of parts and the accompanying deterioration in assembly. The moving surface part,
Both axial portions can be sealed from the external space.

However, when fixing the sealing member to the presser sleeve in this way, in order to obtain sufficient adhesive strength (durability), the presser sleeve is generally subjected to a surface treatment such as shot blasting to improve its surface. It is necessary to increase the roughness of the presser sleeve, which impairs the sealing property between the contact surface of the presser sleeve with the metal member, that is, the seal between the presser sleeve and the race fitting into which the presser sleeve is fitted, and the This poses a problem in that dirt, dirt, water, etc. can enter the sliding surface area.

(Solution Means) Here, the present invention has been made against the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a durable and manufacturable product that has good sealing properties for sliding surface parts. An object of the present invention is to provide a spherical sliding type bushing assembly with excellent performance.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention is characterized in that, as mentioned above, the vibration transmitting system is interposed between the pivot and the cylindrical member.
In a spherical sliding bushing assembly that connects them in a vibration-proof manner, (a) an inner cylindrical metal fitting having a spherical convex surface on the outer circumferential surface of an intermediate portion in the axial direction, through which the pivot shaft is inserted; (c) has a spherical concave surface corresponding to the spherical convex surface of the inner cylindrical fitting on the inner peripheral surface; (d) a cylindrical sliding member that is slidably fitted to the spherical convex surface of the cylindrical metal fitting, and whose outer circumferential surface is fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the axially intermediate portion of the race fitting; a pair of presser sleeves that are fitted into each of the axially opposite ends and fixedly clamp the sliding member in the direction of the bush axis; and a circumferentially continuous axial protrusion that protrudes axially outward from the axially outer end surface of the presser sleeve, and is integral with each presser sleeve. (f) a cylindrical elastic member disposed outside the race fitting to elastically hold the race fitting with respect to the cylindrical member; The annular gap between the pair of presser sleeves and the inner cylindrical fitting is closed by the radial projections of the pair of sealing members coming into contact with the inner cylindrical fitting, and The gap between the presser sleeve and the race fitting is the axial protrusion of the pair of seal members of the seal fitting that is press-fitted into both axial ends of the race fitting or the axial both ends of the race fitting. The structure is such that they can be closed by contacting the respective parts.

(Effect of the invention) Therefore, in the spherical sliding type bushing assembly having the structure according to the present invention, there is a gap between the presser sleeve and the race fitting on both sides of the sliding surface area in the bush axis direction. Since the axial protrusion of the sealing member effectively closes the space between By making the surface rough, it is possible to effectively improve the adhesive strength of such a sealing member, that is, its durability.

In addition, in such a spherical sliding bushing assembly, the axial protrusion that seals the gap between the presser sleeve and the race metal fitting is the radial protrusion that seals the gap between the presser sleeve and the inner cylindrical metal fitting. Since it is installed integrally with the presser sleeve and fixed to the presser sleeve, an increase in the number of parts can be effectively avoided, and therefore the excellent sealing performance as described above can be achieved. It also has the effect that a durable bushing assembly can be manufactured at low cost with good manufacturability.

(Example) Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention more specifically, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 1 shows an example of a suspension bush for an automobile suspension, which is a spherical sliding bush assembly constructed according to the present invention. As shown in this figure, the suspension bush in this embodiment includes a cylindrical inner metal fitting 10 and a cylindrical cylinder concentrically arranged outside the inner metal fitting 10 at a predetermined distance. A race fitting 12 having a shape, a rubber sleeve 14 as an elastic member integrally provided on the outer circumferential surface of the race fitting 12, and a cylindrical outer tube fitting 16 disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the rubber sleeve 14. , the above lace fittings 1
2 and the inner cylinder fitting 10.
A pair of cylindrical half bodies 18, 18 constituting a sliding sleeve that holds 0 in a spherical slidable manner, and a pair of cylindrical half bodies 18, 18 that are respectively attached to the inner circumferential surfaces of both ends in the axial direction of the race fitting 12, and the half bodies 18 . It is composed of a pair of seal rubbers 22 and 23 that close the space between the holding sleeves 20 and 21 and the inner cylinder fitting 10 and the race fitting 12.

In the inner hole 25 of the inner cylindrical fitting 10, it is attached to a pivot (not shown) that constitutes the vibration transmission system, and on the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical fitting 16, it is attached as a cylindrical member that also constitutes the vibration transmission system. , are inserted into and attached to the arm eye of a suspension arm (not shown), and these pivots are connected to the arm eye of the suspension arm in a vibration-proof manner.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the inner cylindrical metal fitting 10 is provided with a spherical convex surface 24 on the outer circumferential surface of the central part in the axial direction, and on both sides of the spherical convex surface 24 in the axial direction. The outer circumferential surfaces on both sides thereof are cylindrical surfaces 26, 26.

Furthermore, the lace fittings 12 are shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.
In the figure, as shown in the shape of the bush before assembly, one end in the axial direction is bent inward to form the inner flange portion 28, while the other end in the axial direction is thinned. This is the caulking portion 29. Further, the inner circumferential surface of the end on the side where the caulking part 29 is provided has an inner diameter larger than other parts to form a large diameter part 30, and a small diameter part between the large diameter part 30 and the other parts. 32, a stepped surface 34 facing outward in the axial direction is formed over the circumferential direction. As is clear from FIG. 1, when the race fitting 12 is inserted into the inner tube fitting 10, this large diameter portion 30 has a slight bulge in the area facing the spherical convex surface 24 of the inner tube fitting 10. It is provided over a range that does not reach .

The rubber sleeve 14 is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the race fitting 12, and the outer cylindrical fitting 16 is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the rubber sleeve 14.
The race fitting 12 and the outer cylinder fitting 16 are fixed together by vulcanization adhesion or post-adhesion, thereby forming an integral structure.

The outer cylindrical fitting 16 in this embodiment is formed to have approximately half the axial length of the race fitting 12, and is provided with an outer flange portion 36 at one axial end thereof. It is disposed on the radially outer side of the race fitting 12 and approximately at the center in the axial direction. In addition, those lace fittings 12
Rubber sleeve 1 disposed between and outer cylinder fitting 16
4, slits 38, 38 of a predetermined depth are provided at portions facing each other in one radial direction, and the race fitting 12 is formed from the axially outer end surface of the outer flange portion 36 of the outer cylinder fitting 16. Inner flange part 2
It has a protrusion 40 that protrudes further axially outward than 8. And such slits 38, 38
As a result, the spring characteristics in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are set to be softer than those in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and the distal end surface of the protruding portion 40 is a regulating member integrally provided on the pivot shaft inserted into the inner cylinder fitting 10. Due to the axial load applied between the pivot shaft and the suspension arm attached to the outer cylinder fitting 16, the outer cylinder fitting 16 is attached to the race fitting 12 in a state where the outer cylinder fitting 16 is excessively large. This displacement can be alleviated and regulated by the elastic deformation of the protrusion 40.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pair of half bodies 18, 18 constituting the sliding sleeve are each formed into a substantially cylindrical shape, and the inner periphery thereof A spherical concave surface 44 corresponding to the spherical convex surface 24 of the inner cylinder fitting 10 is formed on each surface. As shown in FIG. 1, these pair of half bodies 18, 18 are respectively fitted onto the inner cylindrical metal fitting 10 from both sides in the axial direction, so that the inner cylindrical metal fitting 10 By being positioned on the outer peripheral surface of the spherical convex surface 24 at the axial center of the inner cylinder fitting 10,
It forms a spherical concave surface that is in sliding contact with the spherical convex surface 24 of the race fitting 1 on its outer peripheral surface.
It is adapted to be press-fitted into the small diameter portion 32 of No. 2 from the large diameter portion 30 side.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, these pair of half bodies 18, 18 are
The small diameter portion 3 of the race fitting 12 is held in a state where the inner end surfaces in the axial direction face each other with a predetermined distance apart.
2 and is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the spherical convex surface 24 of the inner cylinder fitting 10, and in such a disposed state, the large diameter portion 3 of the race fitting 12
The outer end surface in the axial direction of the half body 18 located on the 0 side is located slightly inward in the axial direction than the stepped surface 34 of the race fitting 12.

Further, in this embodiment, four grooves 46 extending in the axial direction are provided on the spherical concave surface 44 of each half body 18, and these grooves 46 allow the spherical concave surface to 44 and the spherical convex surface 24 of the inner cylindrical fitting 10, forming a guide groove for lubricant such as grease applied and interposed therebetween.

That is, the inner cylinder fitting 10 has a spherical convex surface 24
In this case, the inner cylinder fitting 10 is slidably held by the spherical concave surface 44 of the sliding sleeve constituted by the pair of half bodies 18, 18.
The race fitting 12, and furthermore, the pivot shaft inserted through the inner cylindrical fitting 10 and the arm eye of the suspension arm fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical fitting 16 are connected so as to be able to slide spherically. .

In addition, in order to obtain good sliding properties, such half bodies 18 may be made of a resin material with a low coefficient of friction, such as nylon resin, polyacetal resin, or oleoresin. desirable.

Further, the pair of presser sleeves 20 and 21 are
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each is formed in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined length, and is configured to sandwich the sliding sleeve (half body 18, 18) in the axial direction. , one presser sleeve 20 is placed inside the small diameter portion 32 of the race fitting 12, and the large diameter portion 30
The other presser sleeve 21 is fitted into the sleeve. Note that in the case of the presser sleeve 20 that is fitted into the small diameter portion 32, the large diameter portion 30
The inner diameter of the pair of presser sleeves 20 and 21 is thinner than that of the presser sleeve 21 that is fitted therein by the height of the stepped surface 34 provided on the race fitting 12. are considered to be almost the same.

The seal rubbers 22 and 23 are integrally fixed to these presser sleeves 20 and 21, respectively. These seal rubbers 22 and 23 each have a radial protrusion formed of two circumferentially extending protrusions 48 and 50 that protrude radially inward on the inner peripheral surface of the presser sleeves 20 and 21, respectively. , presser sleeve 20,
It is formed to have a shape including an axial protrusion 54 that protrudes axially outward from the axially outer end surface of 21 and is continuous in the circumferential direction.

Further, among the pair of seal rubbers 22 and 23, the seal rubber 23 on the side that is fixed to the presser sleeve 21 fitted into the large diameter portion 30 of the race fitting 12 is shown in FIG. As such, the presser sleeve 21 has a pressing portion 56 projecting outward in the axial direction from the axially inner end surface of the presser sleeve 21, that is, at the portion that comes into contact with the axial end surface of the half body 18. . Note that the tip end surface of the pressing portion 56 is formed with an uneven surface provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

Then, a seal rubber 2 having such a shape is
2 and 23 are presser sleeves 20 and 21, respectively.
It is integrally fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the material by vulcanization adhesion or post-adhesion.
Here, in particular, these presser sleeves 20, 2
1, the surface roughness is made rough by sandblasting etc., and the sealing rubber 22, 23 is thereby roughened.
can be fixed with great adhesive strength.

As shown in FIG. 1, one of the presser sleeves 20 to which such a seal rubber 22 is fixed has an axially outer end surface that is connected to the race fitting 1.
The other presser sleeve 21, to which the seal rubber 23 is fixed, is in contact with the inner flange portion 28 of the second presser sleeve 21, and its axially inner end surface is in contact with the stepped surface 34 of the race fitting 12. They are respectively fitted into the race fittings 12 with their axially outer end surfaces in contact with the caulked portions 29 of the caulked race fittings 12, and,
Thereby, the half bodies 18, 18 constituting the sliding sleeve are fixedly held between the mutually opposing axial end surfaces of the presser sleeves 20, 21. As is clear from the figure, in the case of the presser sleeve 20 fitted into the large diameter portion 30 side of the race fitting 12, the pressing portion 56 of the seal rubber 22 is pressed against the half body 18.
are brought into contact via.

That is, in the case of such a bushing assembly, the protrusions 4 of the respective seal rubbers 22 and 23
The radially inward protruding end surfaces of the sleeves 8 and 50 are elastically pressed against the cylindrical surface 26 of the inner cylindrical fitting 10, thereby causing the presser sleeves 20 and 21 and the inner cylindrical fitting 10 to be pressed together. Cylindrical surface 2 of
6 and 26 is closed. Note that the radially inward protruding end surfaces of these protrusions 48 and 50 are elastically pressed against the cylindrical surface 26 of the inner cylindrical fitting 10 with a predetermined pressing force based on their elasticity. Even when the race fitting 12 and the inner cylindrical fitting 10 are displaced relative to each other due to the spherical sliding between the spherical convex surface 24 and the spherical concave surface 44, the distal end surface remains in an appropriate position over the entire circumferential direction. It is adapted to be pressed against the outer peripheral surface (cylindrical surface 26) of the inner cylindrical fitting 10 with a pressing force.

Furthermore, in such a bushing assembly, the inner flange portion 28 or the caulked portion 29 of the race fitting 12 are connected to the respective seal rubbers 22 and 23.
The axial protrusion 54 is crushed by being in contact with the axial protrusion 54 of the presser sleeves 20, 21 and the race fitting 12. The gap between them is blocked.

Therefore, in the suspension bushing of this embodiment having the structure as described above, the inner cylinder fitting 10 has a spherical convex surface 24 on its outer circumference.
Spherical concave surface 4 of sliding sleeve (half body 18, 18)
4, the force in the torsional direction or the twisting direction applied between the pivot shaft that constitutes the vibration transmission system and the arm eye of the suspension arm is effectively suppressed by their spherical sliding. As a result, the elasticity of the rubber sleeve 14 can be absorbed by the vibrations input between the pivot shaft and the arm eye, regardless of the presence or absence of such twisting or twisting forces. A good vibration damping effect can be obtained based on the deformation effect.

In particular, in the case of such a suspension bushing, the presser sleeve 20 and the radial protrusions (projections 48, 50) that close the space between the presser sleeves 20, 21 and the inner cylindrical fitting 10 are . Presser sleeves 20, 21 while ensuring sealing performance against the space.
This makes it possible to increase the surface roughness of the sealing rubbers 22, 23 to the presser sleeves 20, 21, thereby making it extremely effective to set sufficient adhesive strength to the presser sleeves 20, 21 and thereby improve durability. You will get it.

Further, in the case of such a suspension bush, such sealing rubbers 22 and 23 are integrally provided to the holding sleeves 20 and 21, respectively, by vulcanization adhesion or post-adhesion. Therefore, the increase in the number of parts and the resulting decrease in assembly workability can be effectively prevented, and products with the above-mentioned excellent performance can be produced stably and with good manufacturability, and can be manufactured at low cost. It also has the advantage that it can be manufactured at low cost.

Furthermore, in the suspension bushing of this embodiment, a sealing rubber 23 is integrally provided on the end surface of the presser sleeve 21 that is fitted into the large diameter portion 30 side of the race fitting 12 on the side that comes into contact with the half body 18. Since the presser sleeve 21 is brought into contact with the half body 18 via the presser part 56, the presser sleeve 21 is brought into contact with the half body 18 through the presser member 56. Based on elastic force, half body 1
8, 18 by the presser sleeves 20, 21 can be effectively relaxed and adjusted, and thereby the inner cylinder fitting 10 and the half bodies 18, 1
The sliding torque (sliding resistance) between the pressing part 56 and the pressing part 56 can be reduced, and excellent sliding performance can be stably exhibited. Therefore, it also has the effect that it can be effectively prevented.

Although one embodiment of the spherical sliding type bushing assembly having the structure according to the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example;
It is not intended to be interpreted as being limited to such specific examples.

For example, the specific shapes of the radial protrusions (projections 48, 50) and the axial protrusions 54 that constitute the seal rubbers 22, 23 are not limited, and various shapes can be set as appropriate. , especially in the case of the axial protrusion 54, each presser sleeve 2
It may be provided at the axially outer end surfaces of 0 and 21.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the sealing function is exerted by abutting the inner flange portion 28 or the caulking portion 29 of the race fitting 12 against such an axial protrusion 54. However, in addition, for example, a ring-shaped seal fitting is press-fitted into the axial end of the race fitting 12 in an air-tight or fluid-tight manner, and the seal fitting is pressed against the axial protrusion 54. It is also possible to seal between the presser sleeves 20, 21 and the race fitting 12 by contacting them.

Furthermore, the sliding sleeve in the above embodiment is
Two halves 18, 1 divided into two in the direction perpendicular to the axis
8, but it is possible to adopt various other structures such as one divided into two parts in the axial direction or one composed of a single member.

Further, in the embodiment described above, a pressing portion 56 was provided on the axial end face of the presser sleeve 21 that clamps such a sliding sleeve, and the sliding sleeve was clamped via the pressing portion 56. The pressing portion 56 does not necessarily have to be provided, and it is of course possible to form the pair of presser sleeves 20, 21 and further the seal rubbers 22, 23 to have the same shape.

Furthermore, the outer cylindrical metal fitting 16 is not essential, and the bushing can be directly attached to a predetermined cylindrical member constituting the vibration transmission system on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber sleeve 14 without providing such an outer cylindrical metal fitting. You may also attach it.

In addition, although the above embodiment shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a suspension bush for an automobile suspension, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this. It can be widely applied to bushing assemblies that connect cylindrical members with vibration isolation, and the shape and characteristics of each component can be changed as appropriate depending on the part to which it is applied and the required characteristics. , should be understood to be set.

Although not listed in detail, the present invention can be implemented with various changes, modifications, improvements, etc. based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such embodiments do not go beyond the spirit of the present invention. It goes without saying that all of these are included within the scope of the present invention as long as they do not deviate from the above.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a suspension bush having a structure according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state of the race fitting before assembly, FIG. 3 is a left side view in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a right side view in FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the half body constituting the sliding sleeve, and FIG. 6 is a - in FIG. 5.
7 and 8 are cross-sectional views, respectively.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a sealing member fixed to a presser sleeve. 10...Inner cylinder metal fitting, 12...Race metal fitting, 14
...Rubber sleeve, 16...Outer cylinder fitting, 18...
Half body (sliding sleeve), 20, 21... Presser sleeve, 22, 23... Seal rubber, 24... Spherical convex surface, 25... Inner hole, 28... Inner flange portion,
29... Caulking part, 44... Spherical concave surface, 42,5
0... Protrusion (radial protrusion), 54... Axial protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A bushing assembly that is interposed between a pivot shaft and a cylindrical member constituting a vibration transmission system and connects them in a vibration-proof manner, the bushing assembly having a spherical shape on the outer peripheral surface of an axially intermediate portion. an inner cylindrical metal fitting having a convex surface through which the pivot shaft is inserted; a cylindrical race fitting concentrically arranged at a predetermined distance on the outside of the inner cylindrical metal fitting; It has a spherical concave surface corresponding to the spherical convex surface, and is slidably fitted on the spherical concave surface to the spherical convex surface of the inner cylindrical fitting, while its outer circumferential surface is fitted into the inner circumferential surface of the axially intermediate portion of the race fitting. a pair of presser sleeves that are respectively fitted into both axial ends of the race fitting to firmly clamp the slider member in the direction of the bush axis; It has a radial protrusion that is continuous in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface, and an axial protrusion that is continuous in the circumferential direction and protrudes axially outward from the end face of the presser sleeve in the axial direction. death,
a pair of sealing members integrally fixed to each presser sleeve; and a cylindrical member disposed outside the race fitting to elastically hold the race fitting against the cylindrical member. an elastic member, and the annular gap between the pair of presser sleeves and the inner cylindrical fitting is caused by the abutment of the radial protrusion of the pair of sealing members against the inner cylindrical fitting. The pair of sealing fittings are closed and the space between the pair of presser sleeves and the race fitting is press-fitted into both axially end portions of the race fitting or into both axially end portions of the race fitting. A spherical sliding bushing assembly characterized in that the bushing assembly is configured to be closed by the contact of the sealing member against the axial protrusion.